Dual interface (DI or DIF) smartcards (more generally, secure documents) may comprise an antenna module (AM) with a number of (typically 6 or 8) contact pads (CP) connected with an RFID chip (CM) via wire bonds or flip chip assembly, and a booster antenna (BA) in the card body (CB) consisting of a card body antenna (CA), an extension antenna (EA) and coupling coil (CC) which inductively couples with the module antenna (MA) of the antenna module (AM). The RFID chip may be referred to as a “chip IC”.
The booster antenna (BA) may comprise various antenna components, such as a card body antenna (CA) for coupling with an external contactless reader, an extension antenna, and a coupling coil (CC) for coupling with the module antenna (MA) of the antenna module (AM).
The antenna module AM may generally comprise a “DI” RFID chip (bare, unpackaged silicon die) or chip module (a die with leadframe, carrier, redistribution substrate, interposer or the like)—either of which may be referred to as “CM”—mounted to a module tape “MT”. A module antenna “MA” may be disposed on the module tape MT for implementing a contactless interface. An array of contact pads “CP” may be disposed on the module tape MT for implementing the contact interface.
The overall dimensions of the antenna module (AM) may be approximately 11.8 mm×13 mm (8 contact pad) or 10.6 mm×8.0 mm (6 contact pad). The overall dimensions of the card body (CB) may be approximately 54 mm×86 mm. The overall dimensions and pattern of the contact pads (CP) may be specified by ISO 7816. The contact pads (CP) occupy a “contact pad area” on the face-up side of the antenna module (AM), and may have a thickness of approximately 30 μm (30 microns) as standard.
The module tape MT may comprise epoxy-glass FR4 or ANSI grade G10 or equivalent, and may have two sides (or surfaces)—a “face-up” or contact side, and a “face-down” or bond side (or chip side). The module tape MT may be one-sided, having conductive foil on only one side thereof (such as the face-up side). The module tape MT may be two-sided, having conductive foil on both sides thereof. The conductive foil may comprise copper, and may be plated with nickel and gold.
The contact pads CP may be formed, such as by etching, from the conducive foil on the face-up side of the module tape MT, and may be disposed in an array of (typically) 6 or 8 pads on the face-up side of the module tape MT.
The RFID chip may be disposed on the bond side (or chip side, or face-down side) of the module tape MT.
The module antenna MA may be wire-wound, having several turns of wire, and may be disposed on the face-down side of the module tape MT. The module antenna MA may be etched from conductive foil on the face-down side of the module tape MT.
The module tape MT may comprise conductive traces and connection pads (or bond pads) on the face-down side of the module tape MT, both of which may be etched from the conductive foil on the face-down side of the module tape MT. The RFID chip (CM or IC) may be connected by wire bonding to some of the connection pads. Alternatively, the RFID chip may be flip-chip mounted to some of the bond pads. A wire-wound module antenna may be connected by wire bonding to some of the connection pads.
Plated through holes (which may be referred to as “vias”) may be provided through the module tape MT for connecting the RFID chip CM to selected ones of the contact pads CP on the face-up side of the module tape MT. Blind holes may be provided through the module tape MT for wire-bonding to the underside(s) of selected ones of the contact pads CP on the face-up side of the module tape MT.
Connection bridges may be disposed on the face-up side of the module tape MT for effecting interconnections between the module antenna MA and RFID chip CM of the face-down side of the antenna module AM, via through hole connections (or vias) extending through the module tape MT from the face-down side thereof to the face-up side thereof.
Some Prior Art Patent References
The following patents and publications may be relevant to some embodiments of the invention(s) disclosed herein.
document numberdate (yyyy-mm-dd)Inventor (Assignee)8,100,3372012-Jan.-24Artigue et al. (SPS)8,544,7562013-Oct.-1Bosquet at al. (Oberthur)8,033,4572011-20-Nov.Varga et al. (American Express)6,310,7782001-Oct.-30Finn et al.6,568,6002003-May-27Carpier et al. (Bull CP8)6,634,5642003-Oct.-21Kuramochi (Dia Nippon Printing)6,719,2062004-Apr.-13Bashan et al. (OTI)6,794,7272004-Sept-21Leduc et al. (Gemplus)6,778,3842004-Aug.-17Kashiwabara et al. (Alps)201301466712013-Jun.-13Grieshofer et al. (Infineon)201301466702013-Jun.-13Grieshofer et al. (Infineon)201301342272013-May-30De Maquille et al. (Linxens)201201386912012-Jun.-7Bosquet at al. (Oberthur)EP 2,541,4712013-Jan.-2Merlin et al. (Gemalto)